RE Conference 2026: Creativity, Imagination & The Arts

Thursday 21 May 8:45am to 3:45pm

Mere Court Hotel, Nr Knutsford

It’s with pleasure to announce our annual conference for primary RE leads on Thursday, 21 May, 2026 at Mere Court Hotel, near Knutsford. This year’s theme is Creating, Imagination and the Arts aiming to give focal points for inspirational ways of knowing RE.

Religion and the arts are historically intertwined. The arts have often taken religious ideas as their inspiration, and equally, provided a medium for which to express religious thought, worship and celebration.  In the RE classroom, through a range of disciplinary lenses and skills, the arts provide a wealth of opportunity and richness to examine how beliefs, rituals and practices may change in different times, places, communities and cultures.

We are fortunate to be joined by Lat Blaylock, one of RE Today’s National Adviser and former Editor of RE Today. Lat will guide an exploration of how the arts are reflected across world religions, in both national and global contexts. He will offer ways to use this medium to excite and engage pupils creatively and provide opportunity for expressing their own personal knowledge.

Meet our Session Lead: Lat Blaylock

Lat Blaylock has taught RE for 12 years in multi-religious Leicester, and has made nine series of programmes for RE with the BBC. He is the initiator of ‘Spirited Arts’, a strategy to enable creativity in RE: over 400 000 pupils have taken part in these competitions in recent years. He meets over 4000 teachers per year through his training and consultancy work, which has a reputation for practicality and inspiration.

“I love RE because it enables young people to think deeply about their own beliefs, and also gives them the skills to disagree respectfully. RE is great where it sets high standards of learning and also energises pupils’ own spiritual reflection.”

“As a classroom teacher I always enjoyed an argument as much as a moment of stunned silence. As an RE adviser, I love the opportunities the job gives me to work with teachers towards more of this kind of RE, both rigorous and imaginative.”

“My own RE obsessions include using art and image in RE and connecting religions and worldviews to politics and ethics. I think the future of the subject will, for example, engage more with religious responses to climate justice, anti-racism and questions about wellbeing. I love taking the biggest questions to little people: let’s have more profound RE for 5 year olds as well as recruiting more A level students.”

The conference takes place at the picturesque country house setting at Mere Court Hotel, near Knutsford. Conveniently located on the A50, Junction 9 exit on the M56; and between junction 19 & 20 on the M6.

We look forward to engaging discussions and meaningful takeaways from their presentations with the opportunity to network with other RE leads. If you would like further information about the event contact our Distinctiveness & SIAMS Officer, Jen Mcilveen.  Book your place today!

Investment

£160, per booking, second booking £100.

The conference package includes two-course delicious lunch and refreshments throughout the day.